pete's play call | Horse Racing Free Tips

American Power Gives Trainer Atras First Graded Win In Toboggan

American Power made his first stakes appearance in 16 months a winning one, dueling pacesetter Pete's Play Call in the stretch before taking command in the final sixteenth of a mile to win the 128th running of the Grade 3, $150,000 Toboggan for 4-year-olds and up by a half length on Saturday at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Owned by Sanford Goldfarb, Irwin Goldfarb and the Estate of Ira Davis, American Power was making his first stakes start since running fourth in the Grade 1 Vosburgh in September 2019 at Belmont Park. The 6-year-old son of Power Broker broke well from the outermost post under jockey Kendrick Carmouche and stalked the pace of Pete's Play Call, who led the five-horse field through the opening quarter-mile in 24.08 seconds and the half in 48.11 on the fast main track.

Pete's Play Call, under rider Jorge Vargas, Jr., maintained his slim lead out of the turn, staying near the rail as American Power sustained pressure to his outside when straightened for home. The duo continued to go stride-for-stride until American Power earned the advantage in deep stretch, completing the seven-furlong course in a final time of 1:24.28.

American Power, trained by Rob Atras, won his third consecutive race overall in taking the first graded stakes of 2021 on the New York Racing Association calendar. The effort built on his victory by a head against claimers on October 12 at a one-turn mile at Belmont followed by a 3 ¼-length score against optional claimers going seven furlongs on December 11 at the Big A.

“He had been training well going in,” Atras said. “When Kendrick rode him last time, he broke sharp and it seemed like he really got his confidence back. Kendrick had a game plan going in and it worked out great. The outside post definitely helped.”

Off at 4-1, American Power, bred in Kentucky by Gary and Mary West Stables, returned $9.20 on a $2 win wager. He improved his career earnings to $499,359 and also netted Atras his first career graded stakes victory.

“It feels great. I'm not sure if it's relief or what it is, but it's just a great feeling,” said Atras, who trained his first winner in 2009.

Carmouche, the Aqueduct winter meet's leading rider, registered his second Toboggan win, adding to his triumph in 2017 aboard Green Gratto.

“I had the best position looking at the whole screen,” Carmouche said. I thought Manny [Franco, aboard Share the Ride] would go a little bit with the other horse, but I had him in the position where he had to take back. I let the one horse go as easy as he can. When I got to the three-eighths pole I had so much horse I just made it a race home and make me or Vargas win the race. That's the way I looked at it and the horse ran good.

“Congratulations to Rob and his owners. That was Rob's first graded stakes win. It's a cold, brisk day but the winner's circle made us warmer,” he added.

American Power improved to 3-for-3 since Atras removed blinkers.

“These older horses know how to run,” Atras said. “When they're younger sometimes the blinkers helped because they need to focus up a bit. It came to the point where he didn't really need them. It's all about having confidence, ability and heart, and he has all three.”

Michael Dubb's Pete's Play Call, who won the Gravesend in his 8-year-old debut on January 2 at Aqueduct, finished 2 ¾-lengths clear of 6-5 favorite Share the Ride for runner-up status. The Rudy Rodriguez trainee has finished first or second in six of his last seven starts.

“He had no excuses,” Vargas, Jr. said “I would have liked to have been just behind [the pace], but we had the one hole, so we really had to go from the gate. He was just second best today.”

Drafted and Stan the Man completed the order of finish.

Live racing resumes Sunday at Aqueduct with a nine-race card, highlighted by the $100,000 Jimmy Winkfield for sophomores going seven furlongs in Race 8. First post is 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

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Classy Veterans Pete’s Play Call, Stan The Man Get Rematch In Toboggan

Graded stakes action kicks off at Aqueduct Racetrack for 2021 with a field of five assembling for Saturday's 128th running of the Grade 3, $150,000 Toboggan for 4-year-olds and upward going seven furlongs over the main track.

Trained by Rudy Rodriguez for owner Michael Dubb, the 8-year-old Pete's Play Call was claimed for $62,500 out of a winning effort in an optional-claiming sprint on Nov. 27 at the Big A. He made first start for new connections a winning one when capturing the 6 1/2-furlong Gravesend last out on Jan. 2 at Aqueduct.

Pete's Play Call was hustled out of the gate in the Gravesend by Jorge A. Vargas, Jr. and sat to the outside of pacesetter Happy Farm. After establishing clear command approaching the quarter pole, Pete's Play Call held off a late charge from fellow Toboggan aspirant Stan the Man to win by 2 ½ lengths over the muddy and sealed track.

Pete's Play Call, who has gone 4-1-0 in his last six starts, worked five-eighths in 1:01.58 on January 22 on the Belmont Park dirt training track.

“In his last four or five races, it looks like he's improving a little,” said Rodriguez, who saddled Head Heart Hoof (2013) and Sassicaia (2016) to Toboggan scores. “He's been doing great. We're just trying to keep him happy and keep him fit. He really looks like he's been coming along well and I hope that he stays the way he's been doing. He worked very well the other day. He's full of himself right now.”

The seasoned son of Munnings boasts the most victories in the Toboggan field with a 46-14-9-6 lifetime record and earnings of $648,421.

Bred in Maryland by Mr. and Mrs. Charles McGinnes, Pete's Play Call is out of the 2019 Maryland Broodmare of the Year Taft Lil Queen, who also produced graded stakes winner Kiss to Remember. He comes from the same family as dual Grade 1-winner Spun Sugar.

Vargas, Jr. will return to the saddle from the inside post.

Long Lake Stable's Stan the Man will attempt to turn the tables on Pete's Play Call in search of a third stakes victory and first graded score for trainer John Terranova, who won the 2010 Toboggan with Wall Street Wonder.

The four-times graded stakes-placed Stan the Man arrives at Saturday's event with consistent form, having finished in the money in his last five starts, all of which were at stakes level.

Prior to finishing a late-closing second in the Gravesend, the 7-year-old Broken Vow chestnut was a close second to Toboggan-rival Share the Ride in the Grade 3 Fall Highweight on Nov. 27 at the Big A.

Stan the Man enjoyed a prosperous campaign in 2020, which included a triumph in the seven-furlong Tale of the Cat at Saratoga and three placings against graded stakes company. At the tail end of 2019, Stan the Man notched his first stakes victory when taking the Queens County at Aqueduct going nine furlongs.

“He's been a good horse and a fun horse for us, very consistent. Especially lately, since the summer,” Terranova said. “We're proud of him. He's happy and healthy and this looks like the right spot for him.”

Jockey Eric Cancel will be aboard from post 4.

Silvino Ramirez's Share the Ride vies for his second graded stakes victory for trainer Antonio Arriaga.

The dark bay or brown son of Candy Ride won the Grade 3 Fall Highweight at the Big A two starts back and arrives at the Toboggan off a close runner-up finish to Wendell Fong in the Fire Plug on Jan. 16 at Laurel Park.

Jockey Manny Franco will be aboard from post 3.

Misty Hollow Farm's 7-year-old Drafted will seek to get back to his winning form for trainer David Duggan. After a 2-year-old season with trainer Eoin Harty, the son of Field Commission raced for the barn of Middle East-based Doug Watson, for whom he won two Group 3 events at Meydan Racecourse in the winter of 2019. In his last effort, he finished third beaten 5 ¾ lengths in the Gravesend.

Jockey Dylan Davis rides from post 2.

Rounding out the field is American Power, who attempts a third consecutive victory after besting stakes winner Mihos and next out-winning stable mate Lil Commissioner in a Dec. 11 optional claiming tilt going seven furlongs.

Trained by Rob Atras and owned by Sanford J. Goldfarb and Irwin Goldfarb, the 6-year-old son of Power Broker won three races in a row during his 2019 campaign for trainer Linda Rice.

Big A winter meet leading rider Kendrick Carmouche has the mount from post 5.

The Toboggan is slated as Race 4 on Saturday's nine-race program, which has a first post of 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the winter meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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Rodriguez Barn Firing On All Cylindars At Big A: ‘We’ve Been Holding Our Own’

Trainer Rudy Rodriguez entered Sunday's card at Aqueduct on top of the trainer standings with a record of 47-10-2-5 and has a number of stakes contenders lining up to bolster purse earnings already at $429,253 at the Ozone Park, N.Y., track. He added one win and a second-place finish on Sunday.

The 48-year-old conditioner, who has won 14 individual NYRA meet titles in his career, captured the 2018 winter meet with 38 wins.

“We've got a good group of people working for us, the same people that have been working for us all along,” said Rodriguez. “When the horses are running the way you see them train, that's a plus. Some horses are running good and some horses are running a little better, we just have to keep working hard and hopefully things will keep working out.

“I'm not really thinking about winning titles, I'm just trying to keep my horses running good,” added Rodriguez. “If it works out that's good, but I think we've been holding our own the past couple years”

The Elkstone Group's Wudda U Think Now, a New York-bred son of Fast Anna, earned an 88 Beyer Speed Figure for his half-length score on Friday when travelling seven furlongs in a first-level allowance sprint for state-breds.

Bred by Mina Equivest, Wudda U Think Now was purchased for $60,000 at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-bred Yearling Sale. Out of the Unbridled Jet mare Unbridled Grace, Wudda U Think Now graduated at second asking in November when sprinting six furlongs on a muddy Big A main track and followed with a good second on December 10 to Jerry the Nipper, who came back to win a second-level allowance tilt.

Rodriguez said Wudda U Think Now has improved steadily since arriving in his care.

“He's been very consistent since we got him,” said Rodriguez. “The people at the farm did a good job and the horse came back very good. I'm just trying to keep it together and the horse is showing that he can be any kind of horse.

“I'll talk to the owner, Mr. Grant, and see what is next but we'd like to break the conditions and then see what we've got,” added Rodriguez. “I don't want to take anything away from the horse. I like him a lot. He's great body wise, behavior and training in the morning. He's a straightforward horse that will improve with racing.”

Michael Dubb's Pete's Play Call was claimed for $62,500 out of a winning effort on November 27 at the Big A and captured the Gravesend on January 2 at first asking for new connections.

“He's been very consistent. We were lucky the other day with five horses in the race and a horse in front to set it up,” said Rodriguez. “Speed held up good that day and thankfully it worked out for us.”

Rodriguez said he will consider pointing the 8-year-old Munnings gelding to the Grade 3, $150,000 Toboggan, a seven-furlong sprint for 4-year-olds and up on January 30.

“That's what we're pointing for and if he trains into that race the same way, I think we'll take the chance,” said Rodriguez.

E.V. Racing Stable's Eagle Orb, winner of the Notebook for state-breds on November 14 at the Big A, finished second last out in the Jerome on New Year's Day in a race won in frontrunning style by Capo Kane.

“I'm not sure if distance will be an issue for him, but the other horse ran a big race. We tried to make a run at the winner but we couldn't catch him,” said Rodriguez. “The owner wants to point at the Gotham so we'll give him another shot at the mile.”

The Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham, a one-turn mile offering 50-2-10-5 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top-four finishers, is slated for March 6.

Graded-stakes placed Water White, a 4-year-old Conveyance filly also owned by E.V. Racing Stable, was last seen on track in June when a distant third in the Grade 1 Acorn at Belmont.

The talented gray, who captured the Busher Invitational in March at the Big A, returned to the work tab on January 3 and added a second three-eighths breeze Sunday morning in 38.01 on the Belmont dirt tracking track.

Repole Stable's Backsideofthemoon earned a career-best 106 Beyer Speed Figure for his six-length score in the nine-furlong Queens County on December 19 at the Big A.

Rodriguez said the 9-year-old Malibu Moon gelding, who sports a record of 47-8-9-7, will likely return in the $100,000 Jazil, a nine-furlong test for 4-year-olds and up on January 23 at Aqueduct.

“It looks like he came out of the race well. We'll point for the Jazil and hopefully he can have another good year,” said Rodriguez.

Backsideofthemoon won the 2018 Jazil and finished second in last year's renewal to likely returning champion Mr. Buff.

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Pete’s Play Call Hits Paydirt In Gravesend After Recent Claim By Rudy Rodriguez

Michael Dubb's Pete's Play Call started his 8-year-old campaign the same way he concluded 2020, saving his best for the stretch in registering a victory in Saturday's 62nd running of the $100,000 Gravesend for 4-year-olds and up at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Pete's Play Call outkicked Stan the Man by 2 1/2 lengths to win his first start since being claimed for $62,500 out of a win on November 27 at the Big A. Now trained by Rudy Rodriguez, the gelded son of Munnings was forwardly placed in second position behind Happy Farm, who led the five-horse field through the opening quarter-mile in 23.09 seconds on the muddy and sealed main track.

Under jockey Jorge Vargas, Jr., Pete's Play Call overtook Happy Farm, with the half-clocked in 46.99, and held the advantage out of the turn, taking position near the center of the track. Stan the Man, the runner-up of the Grade 3 Fall Highweight Handicap last out on November 29 on the same track, made a late bid under rider Eric Cancel. But Pete's Play Call pressed to the wire, completing 6 ½ furlongs in a final time of 1:17.63.

“Rudy told me he was going to run big today and he did. All credit to him, he had him ready off the claim,” said Vargas, Jr., who won two races on the card. “I was pretty happy where I was and when I asked him, he took off. He's quick. I was just trying to keep him happy and where he was comfortable.”

Off at 4-1, Pete's Play Call [bred in Maryland by Mr. and Mrs. Charles McGinnes] returned $10.20 on a $2 win bet. He improved his career earnings to $648,421. It was his first stakes win since the Bonapaw in December 2019 at Fair Grounds.

“He was training very good. He's a hard-knocking horse,” Rodriguez said. “He's been doing very well since we claimed him. I thought we paid top dollar for him, but seeing him working in the morning, it looked like he was worth every penny.”

Stan the Man, owned by Long Lake Stable and trained by John Terranova, finished 3 ¼ lengths the best of Drafted for second. My Boy Tate, the 7-5 favorite, and Happy Farm completed the order of finish.

“He handled the track good,” Cancel said. “He's a good horse and goes with everything. He doesn't have any excuse. He just got beat by a horse that was ready to run and never gave up.

“I was comfortable with where I was and I made the move when I had to,” he added. “The horse reacted quick with it, but the horse that beat us never gave up.”

Live racing resumes Sunday at Aqueduct with a nine-race card headlined by the $100,000 La Verdad for New York-bred fillies and mares 4-year-olds and up in Race 8. First post is 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

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